Exterior side mirrors are mandated by the government to be installed on the right and left side of a motor vehicle so that drivers can better view any obstacles in adjacent lanes. While very useful for this intended purpose, it should be appreciated that exterior side mirrors create substantial drag and the resulting aerodynamic inefficiency reduces the fuel economy of the motor vehicle.
This document relates to a new and improved folding mirror apparatus and method that function to improve the fuel efficiency of the motor vehicle while allowing for safe operation. This is true whether the motor vehicle is a non-autonomous motor vehicle or an autonomous motor vehicle being driven in manual mode, semi autonomous mode or even full autonomous mode.